A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 121
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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To be precise, Praha is the one buying clothes for me.
He’s not just buying clothes for me—he needs to buy outfits for Yujein and Tangerine as well.
Why?
‘Because the clothes we’re wearing now are essentially work uniforms.’
Since these are work clothes, naturally my employer Praha should be the one purchasing them.
Airlines don’t ask flight attendants to buy their own uniforms, do they?
(If they do, I sincerely apologize, flight attendants. I’m currently in another world, so I can’t verify this accurately.)
So yes, he should buy us clothes.
But that doesn’t mean he needs to buy us ridiculously expensive ones, does it…?
Is there anyone out there receiving Chanel or Hermès as company uniforms…?
“We’re buying from there?”
“Yes.”
“Why…?”
Out of all the clothing shops, why did he choose that one specifically?
“It’s nearby.”
The place Praha had pointed to was the most dazzling boutique on Waterfront Street, lined with upscale shops.
The cherry-colored brick exterior was flawlessly pristine, and beyond the transparent glass display window stood mannequins adorned with jewels.
The mannequin’s chin was held high, its hands clad in delicate lace gloves, and at its feet lay a small crystal dog. Behind it, purple gift boxes were stacked without a single gap.
Even from this distance, I could tell.
“Wow….”
The smell of money!
Buying even a scrap of a t-shirt from there would easily cost a million won!
“It does look nice, but… won’t it be unnecessarily expensive? We’re going to wear these clothes roughly.”
“Since you’ll be wearing them roughly, we should buy durable, high-quality garments.”
“That’s true, but….”
“Since it’s an expensive place, they’ll likely deliver the clothes to our lodgings so we don’t have to carry them around.”
“….”
“I only have two hands, after all.”
So Praha insisted we had to buy clothes from that particular shop.
‘Well, why am I even worrying? This man is the Crown Prince.’
The Empire’s first in line to the throne.
It’s just that rolling around in dirt and sleeping rough with me every day makes it hard to tell….
“Fine then.”
I’ll go, check the prices, and buy something reasonable through compromise. With that thought, I nodded and stepped forward—
“Ack!”
I stepped into a puddle on the ground and slid straight across. Praha caught me as I lifted off the ground, setting me upright. Just as I thought he was helping me stand properly—
“…Pardon me.”
He scoops me up into his arms instead.
“No, put me down!”
My feet suddenly left the ground, and I panicked, grabbing Praha’s neck.
“The floor is slippery.”
“That’s true, but…!”
Being carried like this wasn’t exactly ideal, was it?!
“I’m not a child!”
“Whether child or adult, a single misstep could be fatal.”
“I only slipped once?!”
“One mistake can claim a life.”
“….”
His words—sounding like a public service announcement—left me speechless.
While I stood there bewildered, Praha slipped his hand behind my thigh and lifted me into his arms with practiced ease, then began walking.
From my suddenly elevated vantage point, I could see every passerby’s gaze converging on us.
Being carried by a man in the middle of the street felt mortifyingly improper for a refined modern Seoulite like myself. My face burned so intensely I buried it in Praha’s neck to hide my embarrassment.
“Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“They’re people we’ll never see again anyway.”
“That doesn’t make it any less embarrassing.”
“If you bury your face deeper into my neck, you’ll avoid their stares more effectively.”
“…Just walk faster, please.”
Everyone was staring, after all, which made it even worse….
As I muttered this, Praha’s throat vibrated—as if he were laughing.
His long legs deftly navigated the puddles scattered across the ground like landmines, his strides confident and assured. I had to admit that if I’d been walking alone, my ankles would’ve been completely splattered with filthy water.
“…There’s quite a bit of water on the ground. Perhaps there’s a harbor nearby.”
“That seems likely.”
With each step, his firm, elastic body pressed softly against mine in rhythm. His supporting arms were solid, his chest broad and thick, and his body heat radiated warmth.
The sensation of another’s body drawing close and pulling away in rhythmic cadence stirred something peculiar within me. I suppressed the feeling by tightening my grip around Praha’s neck, as though he might never let me go.
Ding.
“Welcome…to our shop?”
Before the Boutique Owner could even finish his greeting, Praha had already stepped inside and settled me onto the sofa.
As my body sank into the plush cushions, the shirt I’d tied around my waist—Cyprus’s shirt—came undone, exposing my calves.
‘This dress is pretty short for a boutique, isn’t it.’
I glanced around self-consciously, but Praha seemed utterly indifferent.
“What an honor to meet you, miss! And you, sir!”
The owner of Emmanuel Clothing Shop who greeted us had vanilla-colored hair and golden-yellow eyes with drooping corners. He approached with exaggerated enthusiasm, but….
“What sort of clothing do you need? Is it for this young lady? What materials and patterns do you prefer…?”
He unleashed a barrage of questions. Though clearly well-intentioned, throughout his interrogation he never once looked directly at my face—his gaze remained fixed solely on the fabric samples.
‘Is he avoiding eye contact with me?’
“Well then, let me show you our catalog. While you wait, please enjoy Emmanuel’s special refreshments.”
The owner, clutching the samples, disappeared inside, and a server in white brought out a plate piled high with Macaron and black tea.
They were mint chocolate macarons.
“….”
This is a snack? Isn’t this just toothpaste rolled into a ball?
I took a bite without thinking and immediately spat it back out. As I unfolded the catalog the owner brought, I caught a glimpse of Praha happily munching away.
“Oh, Tangerine would love this. She’s always getting something on her clothes. …But.”
Why isn’t there a price written here?
I tilted my head slightly toward Praha sitting beside me and whispered. Praha seemed to be checking the catalog handed to him as well, but he’d already covered his when I started whispering.
“There’s no price on yours either, Praha?”
“No.”
“What? That’s…. You want me to buy without even knowing the price?”
What if I get overcharged?
“Should we say we’re just looking around and leave?”
I looked up at Praha while seriously suggesting an escape plan. Though I’d spoken gravely, the corners of Praha’s mouth suddenly lifted when our eyes met.
Praha, smiling despite the situation where all my money might be drained, spoke.
“It shouldn’t be that expensive.”
“Hmm….”
That couldn’t possibly be true. The clothes in this catalog—every single button is a jewel. I could probably sell just the buttons and buy a house in Yongsan with it (my dream!)
“You’re welcome to buy everything you want.”
“Ugh….”
When I continued hesitating, he furrowed his brow as if troubled.
“What a shame. As the future Emperor, I’ve been waiting for this very day to spend money like water and contribute to the economy of war-ravaged regions.”
“…Why are you talking like Cyprus….”
“I’m sincere.”
“Good grief.”
Right, as the Crown Prince, it would be ridiculous to go bankrupt just from buying some clothes at a local costume shop. Still, since it wasn’t my money, I couldn’t shake the feeling of extravagance, so I made one final check.
“What if I buy everything and Praha ends up bankrupt?”
“You’re welcome to spend my entire personal fortune.”
After that, everything moved at lightning speed.
“My goodness!”
The Boutique Owner, who had taken my measurements, clapped his hands together excitedly.
“Your skin is truly so elastic! My wife has exactly this kind of firm skin!”
His deep, masculine voice paired with his cheerful tone was surprisingly well-matched.
“Ah, my wife—she’s my beloved, you see. She’s so diligent that she goes hiking every day off… and that’s how I started making these clothes, those clothes for her….”
His sudden boasting about his wife felt somewhat out of place to me, but in contrast, Praha’s expression grew increasingly brighter as he listened to stories about another man’s wife.
There was a subtle warmth in Praha’s gaze as he looked at the rather handsome Boutique Owner. He even asked a rare question.
“You have a wife?”
“Merely calling her my wife isn’t enough! She’s my love, my master, my god….”
The Boutique Owner, rambling on with praise as if he’d continue all night if left alone, approached lightly and swept my hair up.
He combed through my tangled hair with his fingers and skillfully tied it up. The hair tie holding my hair was a blue diamond accessory that looked quite valuable.
“When you tie your hair up like this, you can really see Emmanuel’s signature shirt collar. Would you like to try the clothes on?”
“It’s fine. I’m all dirty right now. Just give me the clothes if the measurements fit.”
I was getting sleepy anyway.
“The hair tie is pretty….”
My black hair made the bright blue stand out all the more vividly. I stifled a yawn and wiped away the tears that spilled out. The Boutique Owner standing beside me turned to address Praha this time.
“You need new clothes too, sir! Those torn buttons, and what’s with those pants? They’re far too plain! It’s practically a crime to wear such drab trousers with legs as long as yours!”
“That’s enou—”
“It is not! You need pants that fit your waist and hips perfectly, with a sharp crease that flatters your frame! Do you have any idea how much women adore that look?! Only men with firm, sculpted backsides earned through dedicated training can truly appreciate such a privilege!”
“Never min—”
“No. You. Don’t!”
The Boutique Owner, who had initially seemed intimidated by Praha’s characteristic cold expression, was now practically steamrolling over him.
Speaking for Praha, who had given up and closed his mouth in resignation.
“Please wrap everything together.”
I turned to Praha and said.
“If we buy clothes for everyone else but not a single outfit for you, it’ll look odd. Let me buy your clothes for—”
But Praha quickly stood up and paid before I could finish.
His determination not to let me spend a single coin was both absurd and endearing (not that I had ten won to my name anyway), so I laughed and returned the hair tie to the owner.
“We need to take a few outfits with us now since we’ll need to wear them right away.”
I sat back down on the sofa to wait for the wrapping to be finished.
I was so drowsy.
Praha quietly approached and slipped a cushion beneath my head. Without resistance, I leaned against it.
“Wake me when the clothes are ready….”
We have so much to do….
“Understood. When you fall asleep, I shall carry you through the neighborhood, announcing to all that I am this woman’s man, that we share such a bond—rest assured, I shall do no such thing.”
“…No, that’s not….”
Now he’s made me anxious instead….
[Opinions on Mint Chocolate]
“Go to hell.” (Yusara)
“….” (Praha, no opinion)
“Delicious, but all the more dangerous for one’s figure.” (Cyprus)
“…What is that?” (Yujein, has never tried it)
“(Munch munch)” (Tangerine, already eating)
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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